Bengals miss golden opportunity against Steelers

The Cincinnati bengals have not won a playoff game since 1990. Some of you might already know that, considering it gets brought up every time Marvin Lewis gets his team to the postseason, only to be dismissed in the Wild Card round (it’s happened seven times during his tenure).

This year, Lewis might be happy to simply reach the playoffs, even if it means his team is cannon fodder for the elites of the AFC.

After starting the season 0-3 and firing offensive coordinator Ken Zampese following the second loss, the Bengals clawed back onto the fringe of contention with wins over the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills. After their bye, the Bengals traveled to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers, a 4-2 outfit leading the AFC North.

Had Cincinnati won on Sunday at Heinz Field, it would have been a half-game back of the Steelers, tied in the loss column and with a win in hand on their field. Instead, the Bengals lost a decisive 29-14 decision that sounds closer than the game felt.

Cincinnati had multiple opportunities to make something happen early in this second half. The first two quarters played out with each offense going up and down the field, tied at 14-14 late in the second quarter. Then the Steelers rattled of two quick field goals before the break, and never looked back.

In the second half, the Steelers got more aggressive and Andy Daltons began throwing interceptions at an alarming rate, giving away two on the road to defeat. Now, the Bengals are sitting at 2-4 and in third place of the North, while the Steelers are 5-2 and leading the conference.

Moving forward, Lewis and his charges have to get going and fast. The Bengals are lucky enough to host the useless Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, before taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first of a three-game road trip. The jaunt will conclude with the Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos, two teams that are both competitive and seriously flawed. Down the stretch, the Bengals have home games with the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Browns, while also drawing a Week 17 matchup with the beatable Baltimore Ravens.

Cincinnati can still make a run at the wild card spots, but the loss on Sunday to Pittsburgh dashed any divisional dreams. With the way the AFC looks, the Bengals should be scheming a way to get to nine wins, meaning they need to go 7-3 the rest of the way. Looking at the schedule, it’s possible, but things got a lot harder after another tough loss in the Steel City.